tag
The Rocky Mountain Element has been updated for 2025 with a new flexstay suspension design, shaving 350 grams from the frame weight while increasing rear-end stiffness. Despite the lighter weight, the Element remains a progressive cross-country platform that balances efficiency and capability. Read on for Morgan’s initial impressions and photos of the new Element.
From snow to sand, wildflowers, and close encounters with a rattlesnake, John’s been putting the Cotic FlareMAX Gen5 through the wringer for his in-depth review on this made-in-the-UK short(er) travel, metal full-suspension bike. Read on for his full take on how less is more with the FlareMAX’s design below…
Remember when gravity-focused short-travel 29ers were edgy? When a brand would give one to their most decorated downhiller, and it would break YouTube? Now, this subcategory has become a staple. Every brand has one. But not Canyon. They have three. And the black sheep among them is the Spectral 125. Find out why Travis Engel still doesn’t want to send his test bike back in this detailed review below…
Today, Fox Shox announced an updated FLOAT rear shock and a brand new, lightweight version called the FLOAT SL. After pouring over the PDFs, we figured it was worth pulling out of the quick-hit Radar Round-Up to give it its own spotlight. It’s more than just the next iteration of the most popular rear shock on the mid-travel market. It’s a sign of the times.
The Ibis Ripley AF is an aluminum version of the very popular Ripley (carbon) model, with the exception of a slightly slacker head tube. It seems that the Ripley has been a pretty damn popular model for Ibis, so why not adjust for yearly geometry inflation (moar slacker!) and make it more affordable at the same time? Seems like a winning concoction to me.
For those of you here for a quick review: the Ripley AF is really fun and a great deal. Its few drawbacks are minuscule enough to be overlooked. Go have your second cup of coffee and see what part of society is falling apart today. Then, if you’re still here for the long haul, let’s dip our toes into the ever-fleeting world of this “down-country, enduro-lite, extreme gravel, or whatever the industry’s buzzword is this week” bike.
